Taniela Tupou decided to link with the Reds despite a swathe of offers from across the globe © Getty Images

Enlarge

Taniela "Tongan Thor" Tupou has reported for Queensland Reds training, the schoolboy prodigy already impressing staff with his work ethic and willingness to learn.

Tupou shot to fame earlier this year when footage of him scoring a hat-trick for Auckland school Sacred Heart went viral, prompting a swathe of interest in his future from rugby union and rugby league clubs the world over. But after an eligibility clause prohibited him from playing for the New Zealand Schools side Tupou opted to sign with the Reds, revealing he was keen to play alongside idol Quade Cooper.

And while Cooper won't return to the Reds set-up for a few weeks yet following the Wallabies' failed spring tour, Tupou has already launched into pre-season training in Brisbane.

Quade Cooper (L) is Tupou's favourite player © Getty Images

Enlarge

"He has been pleasantly surprising in all ways," Reds forwards coach Nick Stiles told News Corp Australia. "His strength in the gym is outstanding for his age and he just gets those massive legs and hips into a good shape when he scrummages, which was something we never saw on the internet highlights. He's 130kg and he can move so there are definitely the materials there to develop."

Tupou won't be rushed into Super Rugby next season with the Reds keen to build up his scrummaging skill to match his ball-running exploits. "There's a work ethic and determination there which is positive because he's heading into technical work that is far more advanced than anything he did at schoolboy level," head coach Richard Graham said.

Tupou is one of three major Reds recruits for 2015 with Wallabies aspirants James O'Connor and Karmichael Hunt set to add plenty of attacking threat to the backline. Hunt is already training at Ballymore but O'Connor won't link with the Reds until his Toulon contract finishes - or takes a one-year hiatus as has been reported in some quarters - at the end of the year.